diff --git a/gqrxHandler.py b/gqrxHandler.py
index 3c15baa..bead1ac 100644
--- a/gqrxHandler.py
+++ b/gqrxHandler.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import shutil
 import logging
 import threading
 import subprocess
+import time
 from telnetlib import Telnet
 from BotResources import *
 from time import sleep
@@ -90,6 +91,9 @@ class GQRXHandler(threading.Thread):
 
         self.GQRXProc = subprocess.Popen(gqrx_kwargs, executable=self.GQRXEXE, shell=False, cwd=self.GQRXDir)
 
+        while not self.tel_conn():
+            sleep(.5)
+
     def close_gqrx(self):
         self.logger.info(f"Closing GQRX")
         try:
@@ -111,7 +115,12 @@ class GQRXHandler(threading.Thread):
     def create_telnet_connection(self):
         self.logger.info("Creating connection")
         self.tel_conn = Telnet(self.hostname, self.port)
-        self.tel_conn.open(self.hostname, self.port)
+        try:
+            self.tel_conn.open(self.hostname, self.port)
+            return True
+        except ConnectionRefusedError as err:
+            self.logger.warning(err)
+            return False
 
     def change_freq(self, freq):
         self.logger.debug(f"Changing freq to {freq}")